Vegetable top cutter



Aug. 4, 1936. A. GUERRERO VEGETABLE TOP CUTTER Filed Dec. 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l 9 a a o o o J 0 O 4 Mm 3 o 0 a O O O 6 a 1 6 2 4 1 Mo -l m M? e U .Wa w s O T ID m 61 52 J V. \v

GUM M Patented Aug. 4, 1936 HTED STATES PATENT QFFICE VEGETABLE TOP CUTTER- Ambrosio Guerrero, Ballantine, Mont.

Application December 3, 1935, Serial No. 52,708

3 Claims.

10 vide a cutter having a fixed and movable blade,

means for actuating. the movable blade and means for automatically returning the movable blade toran inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which is simple anddurable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to! designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation view of the same,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the mechanism for returning the movable blade to 35 its normal position.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 denotes a longitudinal bar having one of its ends 40 curved, as at 6, to provide a clamping jaw and adjustably connected to the opposite end of the bar 5 is a longitudinal extension 1 having its free end curved, as at 8, to provide a clamping jaw opposed to the jaw of the bar 5. The

45 inner end of the extension 1 is provided with a T shaped angular terminal 9 which engages in the longitudinal slot Ill in the bar 5. An arm ll extends laterally from the extension I, intermediate its ends, which projects through the 50 slot it and supports an internally threaded sleeve 52. A longitudinal shaft l3 extends through the sleeve having threads [4 intermediate its length which mesh with the threads of the sleeve and one end of the shaft is journaled, as at E5, in the bracket [6, While the opposite end is equipped with a hand wheel l1 forturning the shaft. The jaws of the bar 5 and extension 1 are adapted to engage the sides of a box to which the device is attached and through turning the shaft l3 the extension 1 is adjusted 5 to tightly clamp the jaws in firm engagement with the box.

The bar 5 has a series of spaced vertical uprights i8, i9, and 20, which are off-set inwardly at their upper ends. Depending from the inner side of the upper ends of the uprights l9 and 20 are retainer bars 2! adapted to engage over the upper edge of the side of, the box. A frame for supporting the cutting blades and operating handle consists ofa pair of spaced parallel bars 22 disposed in a horizontal plane with one of the bars attached to the upper ends of the uprights i9 and 2B. The bars 22 between their. ends have shafts 23 and 24 journaled therein. A pair of cutting blades 25 and 26, at one end are mounted on the shaft 23, the blade having its opposite end fixed to the upper end of the upright l8, as at 21. The blade 26 is free to pivot on the shaft 23 and co-act with the blade 25. The blade 26 is actuated by an oper- 25 ating handle consisting of a horizontal bar 28 having a hand grip 29 intermediate its ends. The ends of the bar 28 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the vertical supports 30 and 3! extending upwardly from the bars 22 to 30 which they are pivotally connected. The supports straddle the bars 22, the support 30 being pivoted to the bars, as at 32, while the support 3| is fixed to the shaft 24. A cross bar 33 extends between the supports 30 and 3! in spaced 35 relation thereto, one end of the bar being pivotally connected to a bracket 34 attached to the support 3! while the opposite end is bent at right angles, as at 35, in a direction towards the blade 26 and terminates in an angular bifurcated strap 36 which is pivotally connected to the blade 26 by the pin 31, intermediate its ends. A gear wheel 38 mounted on the shaft 24, meshes with the arcuate rack bar 39, depending from the lever 4|] pivoted at one end to the bars 22, by the pivot pin 4| A coil spring 42' is disposed between the lever 40 and the supporting plate 43 attached to the bars 22, which normally forces the lever 40 upwardly.

A guard rail 44 extends between the uprights 5 I8 and IS in spaced parallel relation to the blade 25 and extending upwardly from the guard rail is a guard finger 45 which keeps the fingers of the operator away from the blades.

In operation, the cutting apparatus is attached to the box in which the vegetables to be topped are going to be packed, being firmly secured to the box by the clamping jaws of the bar 5 and extension 1, the extension 1 being adjustable through turning of shaft 53 which moves the extension longitudinally with respect to the bar to draw the clamping jaws into tight gripping engagement with the sides of the box. The operator then inserts the vegetables to be topped across the fixed blade 25, holding the tops in the hand on one side of the blade. The operating handle is grasped by the other hand of the operator and moved forwardly so as to swing the pivoted blade 26 downwardly into co-acting relation with the fixed blade which severs the tops from the vegetables and allows the vegetables to drop into the'box. As the operating handle moves forwardly, it turns the shaft 24 on which is mounted the gear wheel 38 and through the rack bar 39 which meshes with the gear wheel the lever 40 is pulled downwardly compressing the spring 42. Upon release of the operating handle, the expansion of the spring 42 raises the lever 40 and through the rack bar and gear wheel the shaft 24 is turned to return the operating handle to its normal position.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and 7 that certain changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a supporting bar having clamping jaws at each end, a fixed cutting blade supported above said bar, a frame supported 'by said bar adjacent one end of said fixed blade, a movable blade pivotally supported at one end of said frame, an operating handle pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging said movable blade into co-acting relation with said fixed blade, a gear wheel mounted on said frame adapted to be rotated by the movement of said operating handle, a rack bar meshing with said gear wheel, a lever connected with said rack bar pivotally connected at one end to said frame, and a spring disposed between said frame and lever normally urging said lever upwardly.

2., A device of the class described comprising a supporting bar having clamping jaws at each end, a fixed cutting blade supported above said bar, a frame supported by said bar adjacent one end of said fixed blade, a movable blade pivotally supported at one end of said frame, an operating handle pivotally connected to said frame and connected with said movable blade for moving the same into coacting relation with said fixed blade, a gear wheel fixed to the pivot of said operating handle, adapted to be turned upon movement of said operatinghandle, a lever pivotally mounted at one end to said frame, a rack bar depending from said lever and meshing with said gear wheel and a coil spring disposed between said lever and frame normally urging said lever upwardly.

3. A device of the class described comprising a pivoted cutting blade, a pivotally mounted operating handle connected with said blade for actuating the same, a gear wheel rotated by the movement of said handle, a rack bar meshing with said gear wheel, a pivoted lever connected to said rack bar and a spring acting upon said lever to return said handle to its normal position after actuating said cutting blade.

AMBROSIO GUERRERQ. 

